Fuel injector

Abstract

A fuel injector for an internal combustion engine includes: an injector body of substantially elongate form and defining an injector body axis; an injector nozzle disposed at one end of the injector body; and a plurality of element connectors for providing fluid and/or electrical connection into and/or out of the fuel injector wherein at least some of the element connectors are arranged to be rotatable relative to one another about the injector body axis.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A fuel injector for an internal combustion engine, the fuel injector comprising:
 an injector body of substantially elongate form extending along an injector body axis; 
 an injector nozzle disposed at one end of the injector body; and 
 a plurality of element connectors for providing fluid and/or electrical connection into and/or out of the fuel injector 
 wherein at least some of the element connectors are arranged to be rotatable relative to one another about the injector body axis independently of each other about the injector body axis. 
 
     
     
       2. A fuel injector as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of element connectors comprises a high pressure fuel inlet and a low pressure fuel outlet, the inlet and outlet being rotatable relative to one another. 
     
     
       3. A fuel injector as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of element connectors comprises at least one fuel related element connector that is rotatable about the injector body axis. 
     
     
       4. An injector as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each of the element connectors are rotatable about the injector body axis. 
     
     
       5. A fuel injector as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of elements located at least in part within the injector body, each of the plurality of elements being in communication with an element connector. 
     
     
       6. A fuel injector as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the elements within the injector body are arranged axially about the injector body axis. 
     
     
       7. A fuel injector as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein one of the plurality of the elements is a fuel supply passage. 
     
     
       8. A fuel injector as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the fuel supply passage is arranged annularly about the injector body axis. 
     
     
       9. A fuel injector as claimed in  claim 5 , further comprising a needle member which is engageable with a needle seating to control fuel delivery from the injector nozzle and an actuator arrangement to control movement of the needle member, wherein the actuator arrangement and injector body define a common axis. 
     
     
       10. A fuel injector as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the fuel supply passage surrounds the actuator arrangement. 
     
     
       11. A fuel injector as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of elements further comprises a backleak return fuel path arranged in use to return fuel to a fuel reservoir; an electrically controlled actuator arrangement for controlling fuel supply through the injector nozzle; and electrical connections arranged to connect the actuator arrangement to a control unit. 
     
     
       12. A fuel injector as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the fuel supply passage arrangement surrounds the backleak return path, actuator arrangement and electrical connections, and wherein the plurality of elements are concentrically mounted. 
     
     
       13. A fuel injector as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the connector of the fuel supply passage is a high pressure fuel inlet, the connector of the backleak return is a low pressure fuel outlet, and the connector of the electrical connections is an electrical connection point, wherein the high pressure inlet is integrally formed with injector body. 
     
     
       14. A fuel injector as claimed  claim 5 , wherein the injector body defines a bore, the bore having an open first end and a partially closed second end, the second end comprising an opening through which the injector nozzle projects, and one of the plurality of elements is a fuel supply passage and a first surface of the fuel supply passage is defined by the injector body and a second surface of the fuel supply passage is defined by a high pressure sleeve, the sleeve being arranged such that, in use, sleeve generated loadings seal the fuel supply passage at the partially closed end. 
     
     
       15. A fuel injector as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein at least one of the plurality of elements abuts and is held in place by the partially closed end of injector body. 
     
     
       16. A fuel injector as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of elements are arranged to be urged towards the partially closed end by sleeve generated loadings. 
     
     
       17. A fuel injector as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein a first end of the injector body has an opening through which the injector nozzle projects and wherein the injector body defines a bore within which a high pressure sleeve is located, an annular gap between the sleeve and injector body defining a fuel supply passage. 
     
     
       18. A method of assembling a fuel injector comprising providing an injector body of substantially elongate form extending along an injector body axis, the injector body defining a bore, the injector body having an open end and a partially closed end, the partially closed end comprising an opening dimensioned to receive an injector nozzle, the method comprising
 inserting an injector nozzle into the open end of the bore and through the opening in the partially closed end of the injector body so that the nozzle is disposed at one end of the injector body; 
 inserting a plurality of elements of the fuel injector into the bore via the open end; 
 providing a plurality of element connectors for providing fluid and/or electrical connection into and/or out of the fuel injector, wherein at least some of the element connectors are arranged to be rotatable relative to one another about the injector body axis independently of each other about the injector body axis; and 
 fixing an end cap arrangement to the open end of the injector body. 
 
     
     
       19. A method as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the injector body defines an injector body axis and the elements are annularly arranged about the injector body axis. 
     
     
       20. A method as claimed in  claim 18 , further comprising rotating at least one element connector relative to the injector body axis until a desired orientation of the element connectors is achieved.